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punching wedges

• panzer32 493 Posts

  Wed, Sep 28 2011 2:12 PM

  Just a question for those elite players who advocate punching wedges to cover a greater range - 

  I recently did a test with my Cleveland 56* (tour SD balls)  trying to get a good 75 yard shot.  This was basically about 4 avatar movements choked from full shot and 1 movement choked from punch shot.  With full BS on both shots, the heavily choked full shot stopped quicker than the lightly choked full shot.  Now those who advocate punching wedges say its because they'll stop balls quickly but I have yet to see that borne out against properly played choked shots.  

  In fact on a couple courses where I want to have a 3W and a 3H I just carry my cleveland 56* (100y) and my satin 64* (50y) - my only trouble is between 50 and 65 yards if I need it to stop on a dime, but I can still rely on the cleveland to take one big bounce and check nicely.  Bunker options are a bit of a pain too though.  

   

  I know its just one test/example.  But I've tried the punching thing before and have been less than satisfied.  

• Wesdogg75 2,431 Posts

  Wed, Sep 28 2011 2:48 PM

  panzer32:

  Just a question for those elite players who advocate punching wedges to cover a greater range - .  Now those who advocate punching wedges say its because they'll stop balls quickly but I have yet to see that borne out against properly played choked shots.  

   

  Not that I'm an elite player but I would say most of us use punch shots with our wedges because it basically gives us 2 shots with different distances with 1 club, in other words I carry 3 wedges when I play but hitting punches with your wedges is like actually having 6 wedges instead of 3.......and played properly both will stop well with a good ball like the Callaways

  Wes

• Dianne81 773 Posts

  Wed, Sep 28 2011 2:50 PM

  This is a case of whatever you feel comfortable with...   You obviously are a proven performer as you are  Tourmaster with a fantastic average... just going to offer another perspective for others reading this....

  From 110 yrds  full power shots for me 

  108p 100 84p 80 68p 60 50p  

   

  If you dont punch, you have....

  100   50

  I have 3x as many options and my 84 punch will dead stop  , my  68 and 50 punch shots will check harder than your 50 ( for tossing past trouble and spinning back to the hole)

  Another benefit to punch shots is they are less affected by wind and lies making it easier to zero in on the hole.

   

  One other thing I notice about your CURRENT bag, you have  a hybrid 220 yrds and 3i 220 yrds.  Its rare to stick it close from 220 yrds out to 1 putt consistantly, but from 75 yrds,  you want to get it in 1 putt range everytime.

  Again, you've done well with your setup, but not using the punch, could you be leaving shots on the course? Yes I think so....Your wedges are the scoring clubs, personally Id drop the hybrid and toss the 75 wedge back  in your bag to fill the gap and spend a little more time working on punch shots.

   

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Sep 28 2011 2:51 PM

  IMO Panzer, you're shooting yourself in the foot with that HB. Look at the confusion it's causing you on the part of the game that means 100 times more than an occasional HB shot. Let it go. The R11 3W is so manageable you cover down to the 3i easily. Punch THAT out of 40-50 rough with top spin and take a break while it rolls forever.  This makes room for the club you really need and that's the CG80 yard wedge. 

  If you think you need that HB now what's going to happen when you make Legend? You're going to need scrambling ability in a bad way and if you're not ready for it the journey will be painful. At 61.74 it won't be long. Quicker if you drop the HB. 

• TheAceFactor 2,147 Posts

  Wed, Sep 28 2011 2:54 PM

  When carrying  3W and Hyb. during certain rounds...you might consider a 60* degree  90 yard. Instead of the 54* degree. Let your PW do it's work down in around 100.  The G-10  PW punches at 98.  I loved the 50 yard satin too , but I have no regrets going to  the 60 yard CG16.  Punches at 49. There are just to many wedge set-up options to ever say "ONE" is the correct one. The only correct one is the "ONE" that works for you.

  panzer32:

  I know its just one test/example.  But I've tried the punching thing before and have been less than satisfied.

  I don't  know babe , but I have to say...a punched wedge is quite deadly to say the least.

                                                                                                                Ace

• TheAceFactor 2,147 Posts

  Wed, Sep 28 2011 3:07 PM

   I know you already know this Jim , but I 100% absolutely disagree. There are simply other ways to scramble without carrying 3 wedges. It may be an occasional hybrid for "YOU" , but your style is not the only style...I promise you , it's not just an occasionally used weapon. A deadly weapon I might add.  To each there own. Different styles are part of the beauty of the game. I will add this also...there is no iron in the bag that can do from a rough (including a 60/70%) what a top of the line hybrid  will do. It will out perform the 3 Iron every day of the week. Styles are developed over time...It's what works for the individual , we all know this. Doesn't make mine the correct one , nor does it make anyone else's the wrong one.  

                                                                                                                 Ace

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Sep 28 2011 3:20 PM

  You're right, Ace. It does come down to style and yours is a more traditional approach. IRL I only carry a HB instead of a 3W for the low end coverage. This game let's us go outside conventional wisdom and become something 99% of us can only dream about. I had the good HB and carrying it with the 3W lasted one round. It does change the way you need to play. Like we say, whatever works.  ;-)

• Dianne81 773 Posts

  Wed, Sep 28 2011 3:33 PM

  YankeeJim:

  You're right, Ace. It does come down to style and yours is a more traditional approach. IRL I only carry a HB instead of a 3W for the low end coverage. This game let's us go outside conventional wisdom and become something 99% of us can only dream about. I had the good HB and carrying it with the 3W lasted one round. It does change the way you need to play. Like we say, whatever works.  ;-)

   

  In real life, I dont carry  a 3 or 4 iron, both are replaced with hybrids. If I could take an iron in my wgt bag, I would replace it with a hybrid.    But in the choice of wedge or hybrid, Personally ill take the wedge.  ( and a lot of that is because Im not that comfortable choking down clubs... something I need to work more on )

• panzer32 493 Posts

  Wed, Sep 28 2011 4:19 PM

  Okay, 

  1. I didn't ask whether I should carry my hybrid or not.  I'm just figuring out what I need to get in the meantime to go along with my new 2.0 irons... this topic is about wedges ;)

  2. I have no problem figuring out the exact partial shots to use as I have mapped out the partial shot distances.  Instead of 2 distances, 100y and 84y, I essentially have a continuum of distances from 65-100 yards that I can stick it.  And as I claimed above, I believe that at the lower end I can stick it better with a full shot than a punch shot.  

  I might end up getting the 115 and 80 clevelands and leaving the 100 out.  A lot depends on how I like the partial shot capability of the PW.  

  I guess I'm just trying to argue against the conventional wisdom of using punch shots.  Sure, if you can't estimate exactly where that 84y partial shot is, then a punch is probably better.  but in my experience a partial full shot will stop quicker.  BUT, another question, is it subject to more... deviations?

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Sep 28 2011 5:06 PM

  panzer32:

  1. I didn't ask whether I should carry my hybrid or not.  I'm just figuring out what I need to get in the meantime to go along with my new 2.0 irons... this topic is about wedges ;)

  Did you mean what 2 specific wedges to carry? I may have misunderstood. It's hard to talk just 2 wedges. I never had a 3W or HB until the Legend tier. 4 wedges with 5 shots each was some serious coverage you could get away with from closer tees.  ;-)